Fabric sleeve and method of making



Nov. 18, 1969 c. SCHIEL ET AL 3,478,991

FABRIC SLEEVE AND METHOD OF MAKING Filed May 13. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. I Fig. 3

Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 77 31 Fig. 6

' INVENTOR. CHRISTIAN SCHIEL BY GUNTHER BISCHOFF MAM Nov. 18. 1969 Filed May 13, 1966 c. SCHIEL E 3,478,991

FABRIC SLEEVE AND METHOD OF MAKING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 9

JNVENTOR.

CHRISTIRN SCHIEL GUNTHER BISCHOFF Patented Nov. 18, 1969 FABRIC SLEEVE AND METHOD OF MAKING Christian Schiel and Giinther Bischoff, Heidenheim (Brenz), Germany, assignors to J. M. Voith G.m.b.H. and F. Oberdorfer K.G., Heidenheim (Brenz), Germany Filed May 13, 1966, Ser. No. 549,930 Claims priority, application Germany, May 17, 1965. 1,461,183; Nov. 6, 1965, 1,461,141 Int. Cl. B21f 31/00, 15/06 US. Cl. 245- 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The disclosure concerns a fabric sleeve and a method of making the sleeve, the said sleeve being adapted for mounting on a roll. The disclosure proposes cutting a parallelogram shaped piece from a length of fabric and wrapping the piece around the cylinder so that two edges of the piece are in adjacent relation. The threads of the fabric include threads perpendicular to the adjacent edges and turn backwardly at the edges and the edges are joined to complete the cylinder by a pin-like element which is threaded through the loops.

The invention relates to fabric sleeves and to a process for the manufacture of fabric sleeves, particularly sleeves for the press roll of a paper-machine roll press; and for a cylinder mould.

With the so-called fabric sleeve press, one of the two press rolls embodies a fabric sleeve, which essentially consists of a highly incompressible fabric or texture made from, say, synthetic material, which is used to collect and entrap in its meshes, the water that has been squeezed out of the web being processed in the pressing zone. The sleeve releases the Water at some point about the roll periphery spaced from the pressing zone.

The particular object of the present invention is the provision of a fabric sleeve of the nature referred to and a method of making the sleeve which will minimize the amount of work required for the manufacturer of a fabric sleeve as compared with the amount of Work required by conventional processes.

A further object is to provide a fabric sleeve and a method of making the sleeve which will reduce the manufacturing costs thereof while, at the same time, a fabric sleeve of highly satisfactory technical properties is produced.

Still a further object is the provision of a fabric sleeve and a method of making the same wherein a good fit of the sleeve on the roll or cylinder is obtained.

Another object is the provision of a fabric sleeve and a method of making the same which is applicable to all types of materials including fabrics made of synthetic threads.

According to one embodiment of the present inven tion (hereinafter called selvedge processWebkantenverfahren), the invention is practiced by the use of a fabric strip the width of which between the selvedges, at most, is equal to the press-roll periphery. The dimension of the fabric strip in the direction of the warp threads is at least equal to the working width of the press roll on which the fabric strip is mounted. The fabric strip is formed into a loop so that the two selvedges are located in substantially abutting relation. A seam joining the adjacent selvedges is formed by passing a wire or heavy thread or the like through the eyes formed by the reversal points of the weft threads at the selvedges.

The eyes at the selvedges may be augmented in size by the removal of one or more warp threads in the region of the several points of the weft threads. Special warp threads could be provided for this purpose, if desired.

While the invention makes use of a generally wellknown principle of seam construction in utilizing eyes and a connecting wire. The present invention, however, eliminates the disadvantage of the inadequate and expensive conventional process of forming special eyes in the fabric by using the already existing eyes of the selvedges for making the seam connection. In this manner, the high expenses incurred by the manufacture of special eyes are entirely eliminated.

According to the above referred to example of the invention, use is made of a fabric strip which is woven in a width corresponding substantially exactly to the circumferential length of the roll or cylinder jacket on which it is to be mounted. A loop is then formed by joining the selvedges of the fabric strip and by subsequently making a seam at said selvedges. For making the seam it is preferable to have the rows of the eyes of the two selvedges interlace, or mesh, somewhat like teeth, and to form a clipper seam by passing a straight connecting wire through the eyes. However, the seam can be formed even if the woven width of the fabric is slightly smaller than the circumferential length of the roll or cylinder and the eyes of the two selvedges thus interlace to a lesser extent, or are even spaced from each other.

In these last mentioned cases, the connecting wire runs like a sewing thread in a zigzag pattern between the two rows of eyes. By varying the clearance between the two rows of eyes, it is possible to effect a close fit of the fabric sleeve on the roll or cylinder periphery. In order to provide an adequate strength of the seam, the sewing thread or connecting wire will generally be thicker than a thread of the fabric and may be up to 10 times the thickness of the fabric thread.

According to another embodiment of the invention (hereinafter called folding-edge processFalzkantenverfahren), a fabric strip, the dimension of which in the one direction is at least equal to the working width of the press roll, is provided with at least two folds arranged parallel in respect of each other and extending axially of the roll. The spacing of the folds is, at the most, equal to the circumference of the press-roll. The thus folded fabric strip is shaped to form a loop so that the edges formed by the folds are located side by side substantially abutting relation extending axially of the roll. Anv fabric ends adjacent the said edges are located inside the loop. Finally, a seam is produced by passing a wire and the like through the eyes formed by the fabric threads, and which may be weft threads or warp threads at the edges formed by the folds. As before, threads in the region of the folds and parallel thereto may be removed to enhance the formation of the eyes for the seam.

In contrast with the selvedge process wherein the fabric strip must be woven so its selvedge edges are spaced apart at the most, a distance equal to the roll periphery, the modification just described utilizes a fabric of any size that is large enough.

Similarly as with the first described modification, according to the just described modification, the high expenses for the hitherto known eye manufacturing process are avoided inasmuch as the eyes are formed simply by folding the fabric strip on itself.

The second modification thus embodies the same advantages which were referred to for the first modification; namely, considerable savings in time and cost. Either a clipper seam or a sewing seam can be used for either embodiment of the invention.

Further, both modifications are adaptable to substantially all fabric materials, including metal and synthetics.

Since it is desirable for the fabric sleeve always to have sufiicient water storage space available in the range of the pressing zone for collecting the squeezed-out water, it is expedient for the sleeve to be formed as a multilayer fabric sleeve thereby to provide two or more thicknesses of the fabric about the sleeve.

According to a special proposal of the invention, the length of the ends of the fabric strip produced according to the folding-edge process, and which ends are those portions of the fabric strip that turn back on the roll side of the fabric at the folded edges, are, combined or individually, dimensioned so as to be equal in length to the circumferential distance between the folding edges. In this case, the fabric sleeve will be of uniform thickness over its entire periphery.

According to another example of the invention, the result of multiple plies of the sleeve can be achieved with the folding-edge process if an endless woven sleeve is used as fabric strip. The length of the periphery of the sleeve is made at the most, equal to twice the press-roll periphery. The two folding edges are formed by laying the sleeve flat and the folding edges are then brought together and joined in the manner described above so that there are no free ends.

If a fabric sleeve is to be made according to the selvedge process, the required woven width is dependent upon the press-roll periphery. However, the woven width of the fabric length will, as a rule, not exactly coincide with the press-roll periphery.

According to another conception of the invention, use is made of a parallelogram-shaped section, or strip cutout of a fabric length whose woven width W is smaller than the press-roll periphery U. The strip is cut so that the angle on of the cut across the fabric length is such that W=U-cos a. After the strip is cut it is formed into a cylindrical sleeve with the selvedge adjacent each other and the selvedges are joined in such a way that the sleeve formed by the cut out strip is given the same dimensions as the press-roll periphery.

In this embodiment of the invention, the selvedges may be shifted relatively in the direction of the length of the selvedges to adjust the circumference of the fabric sleeve periphery to that of the press-roll.

Furthermore, it is also possible first to cut out a parallelogram shaped piece of fabric and then to form the fabric sleeve, or to begin with a rectangular piece of fabric and subsequently to trim the gores protruding from either end after completion of the seam.

According to another conception of the invention, as applied to the selvedge process, it is expedient to use a fabric strip with such a woven width that an angle a of 2565, preferably 45, is obtained. Such an angle is of special advantage, since the thus produced fabric sleeve, which is of some oversize to facilitate its mounting on the press roll, provides the highest degree of stretch of the fabric in the longitudinal direction and, as a result, the reduction of the fabric sleeve diameter is a maximum when the sleeve is tensioned in the axial direction of the roll. The sleeve made in this manner can be mounted snugly on the roll quite easily.

If the folding-edge process is utilized and use is made of a fabric sleeve from a fabric strip having no selvedges, it is also desirable to have the possibility of also using those woven strips whose dimensions in the longitudinal direction do not correspond to the press-roll periphery.

According to another conception of the present invention, the folding edges are arranged at the angle a in respect of the longitudinal direction of the fabric strip and have a distance A between the folds which is shorter than the press-roll periphery U so that A=U-cos a. Furthermore, the folding edges are joined in such a way that the sleeves formed by the fabric strip is given the pressroll periphery. This process provides maximum independence of the woven width of the fabric strip because it is possible to use fabric strips having lateral dimensions or woven widths smaller than those corresponding to the press-roll periphery.

Also for the latter process it is expedient to choose the distance betwen the folds in such a way that an angle of 2565, preferably 45 is obtained since it is in this manner possible to attain high stretch of the sleeve in the axial direction to snug it up about the roll.

The selvedge process and the folding-edge process can, of course, be combined in such a manner that one of the two rows of eyes is formed by one folding edge and the other by a selvedge.

The present invention will be fully comprehended upon reference to the following specification taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an edge view of two oppositely arranged selvedges of a fabric strip prior to the making of the seam;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the selvedges of FIGURE 1 after the making of the seam;

FIGURE 3 is an edge view of two oppositely arranged edges of a folded fabric strip prior to the making of the seam;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the folded edges of FIG- URE 3 after the making of the seam;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic end view of the cylindrically shaped folded fabric strip of FIGURES 3 and 4;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic end view of a cylinder formed by an endless woven, fiatly folded and cylindrically shaped fabric member;

FIGURE 7 is a schematic end view of a cylinder formed by a folded fabric strip with two folds each at either end, and shaped to form the cylinder so it has three plies;

FIGURE 8 is a schematic plan view of a finished fabric sleeve with a clipper seam; and

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of a fabric strip with a diagonally extending section cut therefrom.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the selvedges 1 of a fabric strip shaped to form a loop are provided with eyes 2 which are formed by the weft threads 3. The warp threads running in parallel with the selvedges 1 bear the reference numeral 4. One or more of the warp threads in the region of the point of turning back of the weft threads can be removed to enhance the size of the loops.

The two selvedges 1 shown in FIGURE 2 are joined in such a way that the eyes 2 interlace in a tooth-like manner. The eyes 2 are interconnected by a connecting wire 5. If the eyes 2 do not completely overlap, the connecting element can be laced therethrough along a zigzag path to form the seam.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the folded edges 11 of a fabric strip shaped to form a sleeve are provided with eyes 12. In the example shown here the eyes are formed by warp threads 13. The weft threads bear the reference numeral 14. The two ends of the fabric strip inside the loop bear the reference numeral 6. The folded edges 11 shown in FIGURE 4 are joined in such a way that the eyes 12 interlace in a tooth-like manner. The eyes 12 are interconnected by a connecting wire 15.

FIGURE 5 shows the two folded edges 11 of the cylindrical sleeve and the ends 6 inside the latter.

The two folded edges of the sleeve shown in FIGURE 6 bear the reference numeral 21.

The sleeve depicted in FIGURE 7 has two folded edges 31; the abutting edges are two folded edges 31' inside the loop and two free strip ends 16.

The fabric sleeve shown in FIGURE 8 has a seam 7 running at the angle u=45 in respect of the fabric sleeve axis 8. A section 9 which has been cut out of the fabric is shown to depict the arrangement of the fabric threads in respect of scam 7.

The fabric web of FIGURE 9 has two selvedges 1 which are provided with eyes 2a formed by the weft threads 3a. The warp threads bear the reference numeral 4a.

The two parallel lines 17 indicate the edges of a diagonally cut section 18.

The two selvedges of this section bear the reference numerals 1a and 1b.

The selvedges of the cut-out section are joined in such a way that a cylindrical fabric sleeve, as shown in FIG- URE 8, is obtained. FIGURE 9 also indicates the longitudinal axis 8a and the seam line 7a of the sleeve.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the present invention provides a method or process for making a fabric sleeve for a roll or cylinder, particularly for a paper making machine, and a fabric sleeve made by the process in which low cost of the sleeve results by the elimination of the heretofore known step of forming special eyes in the fabric for lacing the ends thereof together to form the sleeve.

Furthermore, a seam made according to the present invention is not bulky so that a ridge is not formed along the sleeve by the seam.

Still further, the seam according to the present invention places the fabric ends so close together that the fabric is substantially continuous across the seam so that the characteristics of the sleeve does not change in the region of the seam.

Inasmuch as the practice of the present invention requires only that a large enough piece of suitable fabric be available for a sleeve, the sleeves do not have to be carried in stock but can, instead, be made whenever needed from a supply of fabric which can supply material for rolls of different diameter.

The present invention maintains the advantage of the closely fitted together ends of the fabric sleeve for rolls of varying sizes when the fabric strip is bias cut from the fabric because the said edges can be shifted relative to each other and thereby adjust the sleeve diameter over a wide range.

As mentioned, all woven fabrics, including those of synthetic fibers and wire can be used in the practice of the present invention.

Inasmuch as the seam formed according to the present invention can take in every thread or yarn of the fabric of the sleeve, it will be seen that the stress on the fabric at the seam is distributed across the fabric to the maximum degree thereby eliminating localized high stress regions that could cause rapid deterioration and early failure of the sleeve. Furthermore, with the stress of the seam distributed across the entire width of the fabric, the fabric will not be pulled out of shape but will lay flat and free of wrinkles on the roll or cylinder.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usage and conditions; and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of making a fabric sleeve for a roll or cylinder which comprises: forming a parallelogram shaped piece of woven fabric so that two opposed edges of the piece of fabric can be brought together to form a tube which will telescopically fit over said roll or cylinder, said piece of fabric being so formed that one of the sets of threads which are interwoven to make the piece of fabric extend at right angles to said opposed edges and turn back on themselves at said opposed edges and form thread loops, interleaving said loops when said opposed edges are brought together, and placing a pin-like connecting element through said interleaved loops to form a seam holding said opposed edges together.

2. The method according to claim 1 in which the opposed edges are the selvedges of the fabric and the set of threads which turn back on themselves to form said loops are the weft threads of the fabric.

3. The method according to claim 1 in which another set of said threads extends parallel to said opposed edges, and at least one of said other set of threads adjacent each of said opposed edges is removed from the fabric to make said thread loops larger.

4. The method according to claim 1 in which said op posed edges are formed by folds in the fabric.

5. The method according to claim 4 in which said fabric is folded toward the inside of said tube to form said opposed edges.

6. The method according to claim 4 in which said fabric is tubular and the said folds are formed by flattening said fabric.

7. The method according to claim 5 in which the fabric ends folded to the inside of the fabric tube are of such a length as to extend about the inside of the tube a whole number of times.

8. A method according to claim 1, in which said piece of fabric is a strip cut diagonally from a length of fabric having selvedges with the acute angle a between the cut and the direction of said one of the sets of threads being so selected that U cos a=W, where U is equal to the circumferential length of the roll and W is the width of the fabric length between the selvedges thereof, said strip being formed to a cylinder with said selvedges adjacent each other along a line which forms a helix along the cylinder.

9. A method according to claim 4 in which said folds are parallel to the selvedges of the piece of fabric and the distance A between the folds when measured in the direction of the said one set of threads is less than the circumferential length U of the roll, said folds extending at an angle a measured between the folds and the direction of said one of the sets of threads being such that A=U-cos a, said folds when jointed forming a fabric cylinder the same size as the roll.

10. A method according to claim 8 in which the width of the length of fabric is selected so that a is from 25 to 65.

11. A method according to claim 8 in which the width of the length of fabric is selected so that on is 45.

12. A method according to claim 9 in which a is from 2565.

13. A fabric sleeve for a roll or cylinder of a paper making machine comprising: a length of woven fabric having one pair of opposed edges brought together to form the fabric into a sleeve, said fabric being woven of sets of threads at right angles to each other and one set at right angles to said one pair of opposed edges, the threads of said one set turning back on themselves at said one pair of opposed edges to form thread loops, said loops I eing interleaved, and an elongated pin-like connecting element extending through said loops to form a seam connecting said one pair of opposed edges together.

14. A fabric sleeve according to claim 13 in which said one pair of edges are the selvedges of the fabric.

15. A fabric sleeve according to claim 13 in which said one pair of edges are folds in the fabric.

16. A fabric sleeve according to claim 13 in which said length of fabric is tubular and the sleeve formed thereby is two ply.

17. A fabric sleeve according to claim 13 in which said length offabric is folded on itself to form said one pair of edges, said fabric extending continuously from one of said pair of edges to the other on the outside of the sleeve and beyond said one pair of edges extending inside the sleeve a whole number of times about the inner periphery of the sleeve.

7 8 a 18. A fabric sleeve according to claim 17 in which 3,309,046 3/1967 Uhrig 2,45-10 the fabric beyond said one pair of edges inside the sleeve 3,316,599 5/ 1967 Wagner 2431 extends from each edge halfway around the sleeve and is I then folded back on itself and returns to the region of FOREIGN PATENTS,

the pertaining oneof said one pair of edges. 5 611,090 3/1935 Germany References Cited 310,743 5/1929 Great Britain.

UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD J. HERBST, Primary Examiner 1,828,304 10/1931 Woodman 24510 1,957,554 5/1934 Rector 113120 10 us. C1.X.R.

2,162,947 6/1939 Gleeson 24510 24-31 

